The subject matter described herein relates generally to wind turbines and, more particularly, to a wind turbine, control system, and method to optimize power production from one or more wind turbines within a wind farm.
Generally, a wind turbine includes a rotor that includes a rotatable hub assembly having multiple rotor blades. The rotor blades transform wind energy into a mechanical rotational torque that drives one or more generators via the rotor. The generators are sometimes, but not always, rotationally coupled to the rotor through a gearbox. The gearbox steps up the inherently low rotational speed of the rotor for the generator to efficiently convert the rotational mechanical energy to electrical energy, which is fed into a utility grid via at least one electrical connection. Gearless direct drive wind turbines also exist. The rotor, generator, gearbox and other components are typically mounted within a housing, or nacelle, that is positioned on top of a tower.
At least some known wind turbines are arranged in localized groups known as wind farms. Generally, each wind turbine is positioned within the wind farm to optimize environmental conditions of the wind farm. For example, the wind turbines may be positioned to reduce or to minimize a wake effect (i.e., a turbulence) of one or more wind turbines. Such wake effects may be caused by wind being diverted around a tower, rotor blades, and/or other components of the wind turbine. However, due to space constraints that may be present within known wind farms, the positioning of the wind turbines may still result in wake effects that are induced to one or more wind turbines. Such wake effects may undesirably result in additional loads induced to the affected wind turbines, which may reduce a lifespan of one or more components of the affected wind turbines.
At least some known wind farms limit or constrain a power production of wind turbines that experience wake effects to prevent turbulence associated with the wake effects from damaging the wind turbines. For example, a wind turbine that is positioned within a wake zone of another wind turbine may be curtailed, or limited in rotational speed and/or power production. Moreover, the affected wind turbine may be prevented from increasing its power production during times of excess power production capability. Such constraints may be programmed into a control system of each wind turbine during a wind farm installation based on estimates of future wind farm conditions. However, one or more wind turbines may not be continuously operational, for example, due to maintenance and/or fault conditions. An operational status of each wind turbine within the wind farm may not be available to the other wind turbines. Accordingly, if one or more wind turbines are non-operational, the power production of other wind turbines may continue to be constrained even though the non-operational wind turbine may generate less turbulence. Such operation may result in a loss of power that may otherwise be produced by the wind turbines.